`Jackets, Raiders among AVCA honorees

CEDARVILLE — Cedarville University is one of the record-setting number of schools to receive the 2016-17 American Volleyball Coaches Association Team Academic Award.

The Wright State University women’s NCAA Division I volleyball program was also honored.

A total of 822 collegiate men’s and women’s as well as high school boys’ and girls’ teams from across the country broke the record of 764 squads that were recognized a year ago.

The Lady Jackets are part of 118 NCAA Division II women’s programs to achieve the award. Overall, 413 NCAA programs across all divisions were honored.

The AVCA Team Academic Award, which was initiated in the 1992-93 academic year, honors collegiate and high school volleyball teams that displayed excellence in the classroom during the school year by maintaining at least a 3.30 cumulative team grade-point average on a 4.0 scale or a 4.10 cumulative team GPA on a 5.0 scale.

The award, celebrating its 25th year, is the single largest award offered by quantity of schools, players and coaches honored.

Since the 2000-01 season, the number of recipients have increased every single year but two, while amassing a 532-team increase over the span of the last decade.

Since the award’s inception in 1993, the amount of award winners has increased from 62 to its current number of 822.

Prior to the 2016-2017 season, only 29 teams had attained the pinnacle of volleyball success in both earning the AVCA Team Academic Award and winning their respective collegiate national championship in the same academic year. This year, the AVCA recognized five programs that excelled in the classroom and on the court: Stanford University (NCAA Division I), Concordia University, St. Paul (NCAA Division II), Calvin College (NCAA Division III), Hastings College (NAIA), and Ohio State University (NCAA Division I-II Men).